Golden Ranch
by k-shee
Summary: Step-siblings Vaughn and Chelsea wash up on shore after a storm. With no where else to go and nothing else to do, they take up the responsibility of reviving Sunny Island.
1. One

**Golden Ranch**

**Chapter One**

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* * *

**

The wind playfully whipped her hair around, making Chelsea smile. It was only a few days since she got her new haircut, and she still had to get used to the lightness on her shoulders. After perhaps seventeen years of wearing long, heavy ponytails, it was a welcome improvement. Chelsea could remember sitting on the salon chair, watching with muted dismay as the long tresses fell prey to the hairdresser's scissors. It wasn't long before he had finished styling and blow-drying her hair, turning the chair so she could see her reflection.

"Ain't you just a beauty." He cooed fondly. "It's too bad you're moving away. I'm gonna miss having someone like you around here. Ah well, the chickling's got to leave the nest some day or the other."

"I'm gonna miss working here too." Chelsea sincerely offered. "You've been an awesome boss."

"I am, aren't I?" Her boss flashed a smile at the mirror, checking out his teeth. "You're leaving with that hunk, aren't you?"

She laughed. "Who?"

"Who else?" Her boss flipped his lustrous locks. "I still can't believe his hair's natural. Rawwrr…"

"You're one to talk," she scoffed. "You're got _green_ hair. You look like a tree with your tan."

"Well, I'm a sexy tree!" At his indignant tone, she burst into giggles.

* * *

Chelsea leaned on the rail and ignored the water spraying her skin from time to time. The wind made the water feel cold, but it was more refreshing than anything else. She turned her head to contemplate her companion, who was standing in a similar position.

"Isn't this great, Vaughn?" She grinned. "We're off on our own adventure. I can't wait to get to the farm!"

Her companion offered no other response, except for an 'mmhmm'. He inhaled deeply, fighting down nausea, silver head hung over the rail just in case bile decided to come up. Overhead, the sky continued to paint itself the colors of sunrise.

Chelsea looked over at him and began to laugh. "Wow, I didn't know you get seasick!"

Vaughn groaned as he struggled to clear his lightheadedness. "Neither did I."

"Well, get used to it, big guy." She gave him a soft punch. "'Cause we're gonna be stuck here for **two **whole days.'"

"Great." He grunted. To think that he could have died by a bullet or a freak accident. Instead, he'll perish a slow death by seasickness. He said as much, and Chelsea laughed again. At least one of them was getting some amusement out of his situation, he thought. He sure wasn't.

"Hello!" A cheerful young sailor greeted as walked by. "I noticed your friend isn't looking so well. He okay?"

Vaughn muttered to himself how nosey some people could get. Chelsea nudged him and nodded at the sailor. "He's fine. We're just not used to traveling by boat is all."

"Oh. Wanna tip?"

She shrugged. "Sure."

"Try focusing your attention on something far away. Makes your brain think you're not moving so much. Ginger tea also helps."

Chelsea thanked the man and he walked away, whistling something merry. Vaughn sighed and rubbed his temples. "I don't get how people can be so cheerful in the morning. It's so annoying." At this, he pointedly glanced at Chelsea's direction, and then looked away, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards.

It took a few seconds for that to sink in. Chelsea puffed out her cheeks and put her fists on her hips."Hey, what are you implying? I'm annoying?"

"You're Chelsea." He replied, as if that explained everything.

"Ugh!" She swung her fist at him, a futile effort on her part. He had anticipated it, clutching both her wrists as she struggled.

He tutted. "Still a little shrimp after all this time?"

"Am not! You're just tall!"

"Same difference." Vaughn released her wrists and ruffled her hair. "You're still short to me." She growled at that one, huffing as she fixed her bandana.

"God. I can't believe I put up with you all these years." She stuck her nose in her hair. "I'm not talking to you anymore."

Vaughn smiled to himself and shook his head, leaning on the rail again. They continued on in comfortable silence, waiting for the sun to peek. Chelsea forgot about her half-hearted grudge as she shielded her eyes against the sun's sudden glare.

"The breeze sure is nice." She smiled sweetly. Vaughn decided to store that moment in his memory, to be put down on paper later.

"Come on," he urged. "Let's get some breakfast."

She rolled her eyes. "Boys. Always thinking about food."

Just as they were about to return, a pair of siblings (from the looks of it, they could've been twins) stepped out on the deck. They both had curious pink hair, and the older-looking one was berating the younger-looking one about being so lazy. "Honestly, Elliot, no wonder why you're so weak."

"Don't call me that. Who in their right minds wake up pre-dawn?"

"Real men, that's who. Grow some balls." The girl spotted the other two people on deck. "Hey, turns out we're not the only kids on this ship, thank god." She walked towards Chelsea and thrust out a hand. "Hi. My name's Natalie. I've been stuck on this boat for six whole days with no one but my wimp of a brother for company. Currently dying of boredom. Nice to meet ya."

"Uh…hi." Chelsea reluctantly shook her hand. "I'm Chelsea, and this is Vaughn. We just arrived."

"'Sup." Natalie then thrust her hand at Vaughn. He shook it wordlessly, then stepped back. Natalie turned to her brother. "You saw that Elliot? He's got a good strong grip. Try practicing that."

The boy named Elliot gulped and took his big sister's advice. "M-My name's Elliot. Pleased to m-meet you."

"So," Natalie said after introductions were over, "Where were you guys headed?"

"Breakfast." Chelsea made it sound like a question.

"Great." The pink-haired girl slung her arm around the shorter brunette. "Let's go together, then. You can meet my mom and my gramps." Chelsea shot Vaughn an alarmed look, before she was led away to the direction of the boat's restaurant.

Well, it wasn't much of a restaurant, per se. It was more of a room with a bar and some tables. One table was being occupied by a woman with the same pink hair as Natalie and an old-timer who had liver spots instead of hair.

"Oh my! Are those new friends, children?" The woman exclaimed with a smile, never once opening her eyes.

"Yup. Mom, this is Vaughn and Chelsea." Natalie introduced.

"Hello, dears. Sit down and have breakfast with us?"

"Oh, uh, we wouldn't want to intrude…" Chelsea trailed off as she found the old man giving Vaughn the 'elevator eyes', which was rather disturbing on many levels. Vaughn fought off the blatant stare with a glare.

"He'll do! Scrawny, but with enough work, he'll make a great rancher!" The old geezer announced, a loose tooth making him whistle some parts of the words.

"Excuse me?" Vaughn blinked in bewilderment. The old man whacked his knee with his heavy cane, making Vaughn wince softly.

"Siddown, laddie boy, and I'll tell you about my glory days as the world's best rancher!"

Chelsea whispered in Natalie's ear. "That's your grandpa?"

"Yep. He's a bit wonkers and tends to exaggerate, but he's cool."

She could certainly see who Natalie took after. They all sat down and ordered breakfast, Natalie and Elliot's mom insisting on treating them both. Chelsea soon found herself in an easy conversation with them, mildly amused as the grandfather told Vaughn outrageous stories about farming.

"—So there I was, faced against a giant carrot. I knew I couldn't handle it alone, so I ordered in some backup. Believe me when I tell you harvesting crops isn't—"

She smiled inwardly at the tale, knowing more than anyone else how Vaughn _detested_ carrots.

"So, Chelsea." Felicia interrupted. "Where are you headed to?"

The brunette stopped picking at her omelet. "Oh, me and Vaughn? We're going to Mineral Town. We're thinking of taking up the farm for sale there."

"Is that so? How lovely. My family and I wish to move to a small island for a change of scenery."

The conversation went on to more mundane topics until an hour went by and everyone had finished breakfast.

"That was great. Thanks for breakfast." Chelsea expressed her gratitude for Felicia and Old Taro's (wasn't that the name of a vegetable?) benevolence, before being dragged out to the deck again by Natalie. Vaughn excused himself sometime after, retreating to their room to keep the swaying motion from getting to him. Elliot left as well, making a similar excuse.

"Let them leave, the pansies," Natalie scoffed, and both she and Chelsea laughed.

Neither of them were aware of the storm looming on the horizon.

* * *

_I think we all know where this is going, no? Let me know who's sticking around :D_


	2. Two

_Here's what I say to people who don't like what I write. I don't care, and if my characterization of Vaughn is way too _**nice**_ to your liking, tough luck. I just think there's something deeper to him than all the grunting and the stupid cowboy persona. Even Mirabelle admits in the proposal scene that he's got a big heart he's trying to cover up with the tough guy act. (But if you guys really want a jerkward! Vaughn, I suppose I could cook something up…)_

_In this fic, Chelsea's known him more than most people, so that means he's gonna act differently around her. Yes, he talks more here than in the game, admittedly, but come on! How the heck are we gonna have funny convos if he doesn't?_

_This is my fic, this is my plotbunny. And this is my dedication to those who DO like what I write. YOU guys are awesome! Thanks for your support!_

* * *

**Golden Ranch**

**Chapter Two**

* * *

Chelsea stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind her. The swaying motion hadn't been as bad as it was on deck. Sighing, she kicked off her boots and massaged her feet, sitting at the edge of the bed nearest to the door. It just so happened that Vaughn had collapsed atop of the sheets on this bed. He was asleep on his side like he always was, back turned to her. She was amused at how he didn't even bother to change out of his jeans.

The room they booked was rather simple. There was a built-in closet and two beds, and compared with getting two single-bed rooms, this was way cheaper. Their suitcases were off to the side, while Vaughn's guitar stood in a corner, cocooned in its soft black case. Chelsea never particularly liked that guitar. The first time she tried it, she cut her pinky on the thinnest string. Then Vaughn entered the room and chewed her off for touching his prized possession, and what was she doing in his room anyway? That was the first time he had yelled at her. Before that, he was always so chillingly civil, polite even.

Chelsea didn't like going to that topic. It was too much change in too little time. They didn't know how to cope with it. Tempers were high and patience was wearing thin. It wasn't until they were locked out of the house that they found solid footing. She suggested that they watch a movie while their parents finished…whatever business they had in a locked house. He shrugged with a 'whatever', but found himself paying for the popcorn and the tickets.

The funny thing was, there was only a silly romance comedy available. They somewhat bonded over flaming the movie.

Chelsea smiled at the though and picked up the several sheets of paper that littered on the floor. Most of them were random sketches of scenes from the ship. Here and there, a sailor or two going about, a view of the sunset, a recreation of a painting somewhere…and then several different sketches of the same scene. Chelsea recognized her facial features in them. She was smiling and her hair was being blown by the wind, the light highlighting her features. She suddenly felt embarrassed and lightheaded. It wasn't as if it was the first time Vaughn had made her the model of his sketches. But there was something different…The feel of the drawing just deviated from his usual style.

Why would he scrap them out, though? They turned out quite fine, she thought, with a spike of envy. He really had a natural talent. A piece of charcoal in Chelsea's hand and a piece of paper in the other amounted to…not quite art. But in Vaughn's? One word. Wow.

It was too bad he was such a jerk, sometimes. Maybe his talents were his redeeming qualities. That, and his looks.

She piled the pieces of paper together and slipped them into a manila envelope. Meanwhile, she took a page from his book and changed into her pajamas, quickly falling asleep on her own bed.

* * *

Vaughn was nudged awake when a quivering mass burrowed itself behind him. He looked over his shoulder, squinting. Sure enough, Chelsea was there, big blue eyes wide with fright. "Storm," she whispered. The idea was slow to process in his brain, but it managed to click. As if on cue, the boat was shook with a rough wave and subsequent thunder. He wondered detachedly how he could have slept through the noise and the movement.

With a groan, he lifted the sheets from under him and covered both of them with it. Then he went back to his original position, while Chelsea happily turned around so she could press her back with his, cuddling with a pillow. His constant presence and warmth calmed her worries, and she fell asleep with no further difficulties.

* * *

Someone was banging on the door. Vaughn furrowed his eyebrows and opened sleepy eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I'm getting there." He got up and mumbled half-heartedly, rubbing his hand on his face. Wow, he was more disoriented than he realized, because he could hardly walk in a straight line. Or was that the boat moving?

To his surprise, Elliot was there, frantic and panting and tugging. "Come on! Lifeboats!" Vaughn was almost out the door when he pulled his wrist back, gripping the shorter boy by the shoulder, enunciating carefully.

"Calm down, kid. What's going on?"

Elliot gulped a huge amount of air. "The ship's sinking! C-Captain said it's because of the s-storm! Get to the lifeboats! Don't bother packing!"

Vaughn swore. This sounded way too much like a movie.

Chelsea raised her sleepy head and rubbed her eyes, noticing their agitation. "What's going on?" She got to her feet, and Vaughn realized that she was only dressed in a big T-shirt and a pair of short shorts. Certainly not the best attire to be out in a storm. He was still in the clothes he used that day, his favorite black shirt and a random pair of jeans. Knowing there was no time to change, Vaughn picked up his jacket and draped it over her, shoving her arms through the sleeves. She snapped in irritation. "I can do that myself! God, what's happening?"

"The boat's capsizing." He spared her a glance as he bent down to retrieve his shoes.

"WHAT?" She copied him, shoving her feet in her red boots. He grabbed her matching red backpack hanging from the bed post in one hand and gripped her wrist with the other. They met Elliot in the hallway a moment later.

"Come on, hurry!" He urged, running ahead of them. The boat's turbulent swaying made it hard to reach the deck, let alone move. Chelsea managed to slip after a particularly rough wave, bumping the side of her head on the wall.

Vaughn looked back. "You okay?"

"Yeah, peachy." She felt the spot and found it rapidly swelling.

He tugged at her wrist again, and they finally made it to the deck. Most of the people were already in lifeboats. The rain pelted down on them, made worse by the waves. The dark sky flashed with power. Chelsea stiffened with fear.

She could remember very well a time just like this one, only she was seven and stranded in the playground by a storm. It was late afternoon, but there was no way of knowing. For all she knew, it could have been midnight. The rain fell down like bullets, and it hurt when she slipped in the mud. She was crying and yelling for daddy. She cried and cried but no one would come for her.

By sheer force of will, she dragged herself under the big dinosaur slide. She was safe from the rain here, but it was still cold. She clamped her small hands on her ears when she saw the lightning rip across the sky. The big thunderous noise always followed. Always.

_Daddy wouldn't come for Chelsea_, she thought. _Chelsea just wanted a hug. Chelsea didn't know Daddy was busy with the strange girl._

She hadn't known there would be anyone else in the house. She heard the sky rumbling in her nap, and her brain translated it to a monster waiting to eat her. She just wanted her father's reassurance. But when she opened the door to his room, she saw something she shouldn't have, and wouldn't understand 'til she was much older. Then he yelled at her and made her scared. She didn't know what he meant by 'get out', but she thought it meant, 'get out of the house'.

And she did. She ran away to the only other place she knew.

That time was the first time she truly felt alone and lost. It wasn't only the fear of storms that got to her. She was afraid of being abandoned again, of feeling like she could depend on…

"…Chelsea, Chelsea! Snap out of it!" Vaughn's voice brought her back to the present, and he was shaking her shoulders violently, as if to shake the stupor from her mind. She hadn't realized that he had fastened the rucksack onto her, and a too-big life vest over that. The rucksack had everything they ever needed to start their own lives. Everything, from money to credit cards to official documents, all tightly sealed in a convenient and water-proof plastic case.

"Where's your life vest?" Was the first thing she blurted out. It seemed that everyone on deck had one.

"Don't have one." He raised his voice above the thunder even as he was tightening the buckles on hers. "They ran out."

Vaughn didn't say it in so many words, but he truly did care for her. The grip of his hand on hers was more than reassuring, and at the moment, Chelsea knew she had someone to fall back on.

* * *

_Was that too dramatic? I know I made things sound vague regarding their relationship, but the other characters still don't know that they're step-siblings and are assuming otherwise. It will be included in the next chapter, promise._


	3. Three

_D: I didn't realize I disabled my anonymous reviews! Sorry!

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**Golden Ranch**

**Chapter Three

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**

"Chelsea, I've got great news for you. You're gonna have a new mom now. I'm marrying Kate!"

"Dad, that's…great!" She hadn't been sure what the news meant to her. A new mother? That sounded preposterous. That would make things worse. Just when she and her dad were making progress in their relationship, just when they were reconnecting, someone had to butt in. He was constantly busy with his work as a lawyer, and it was only recently that he realized he needed to spend time with his daughter.

Back when she was smaller, Chelsea used to think her nanny was her mother. When the woman resigned, she told Chelsea what her father wouldn't tell her, that her mother died shortly after childbirth. What she didn't say was that was why he resented her, but Chelsea knew that already.

That day was the day Chelsea stopped calling herself in the third person. At six years old, she learned that when you believe a lie, you will hurt. Ten years later, it was still ingrained in her head.

"We're moving in a few weeks. Oh, didn't I tell you? We bought a house in the city. You're gonna love it. New house, new school, new friends, new family! Isn't it exciting?"

She only had the strength to give a feeble smile.

* * *

Kate was a nice woman. She was pretty, too. And rather young.

She could see why her dad would want to marry Kate. But it was just too soon. Hadn't either of them given a thought about their children at all? As far as Chelsea knew, Kate had a son who was more or less indifferent about the affair, but still unsettled about the change. Chelsea had yet to meet him, but her father told her he was a nice young man who was about the same age.

_Nice young man, my butt. _Vaughn was a cold fish with as much character as a rock. He looked nothing like his mother, save for those prettily-colored violet eyes. Their first meeting was a disaster, in Chelsea's opinion. He answered all her inquiries with a word or two, but that was about it. Then they fell into an awkward silence.

The wedding came and went. It wasn't much of a grand thing. Family and friends came to the small affair, and there were pictures all around. Chelsea was decked in a poofy lilac dress and Vaughn suffocated in a similarly colored suit. It seemed like they were the only teenagers in the vicinity, so there was no other choice but to converse with each other. In the wedding reception, speeches were made and glasses were tinkled with spoons. When their parents leaned in and smooched _every single time_, both of them looked away and wrinkle their noses. Chelsea started to smile at their shared suffering, and Vaughn gave a little grin in return.

Things improved a little after that.

* * *

The first coherent thought that came into her head was that it was too hot. The second thought was that she had to wake up soon.

Chelsea rolled over and used her arms to shield her eyes from the sunlight. Her nose was horribly stuffy and her mouth felt like cotton. She sat up to reach for something to blow her nose with when she realized that this was not her room at home.

Alarmed, she stood up quickly, faltering as the blood rushed to her head too fast. Her vision darkened and she breathed deeply, willing it to go away. She needed to find…some sense in this. Waking up in a strange bed in a strange house was so not the way to go.

She passed a mirror as she inspected the neat little room. She looked horrible and sick, which she probably still was. There was a wash basin and a face towel on an end table. She used that to clean herself up as best as she could, combing her hair with her fingers. When she went back to the mirror, she finally noticed what she had been wearing. What the heck? She was wearing a dress that was frilly at best. Certainly not hers.

With caution, Chelsea opened the bedroom door, and found nobody else at home. Where were the inhabitants? She couldn't have magically appeared in an alternate universe, could she?

"Hello? Anyone here?" She called out. There was no reply.

She spotted her favorite red gumboots right beside the front door. Like she always did, she shoved her feet into them, loving the feel of familiarity. These were hers, alright.

She opened the door and stepped outside, shielding her eyes momentarily from the sun. It wasn't quite so high from the sky, so it was probably still mid-morning. A quick survey of the area, and Chelsea deduced that it must have been some kind of ghost town. The houses all looked old and decrepit, and the greenery around them was sprawling. The old fear tightened its fist around her chest. Was she all alone again?

No, it couldn't be. The house she had been in must have been someone's house.

Chelsea's head snapped up. There was a faint murmur of voices somewhere close. Her feet moved of their own accord. She walked to her right, the sound getting louder as she neared.

"…listen 'ere, laddie boy! You gotta hold it just like so. Widen your stance; you'll fall over if you don't. Move your whole upper body. Chop! …Yes, that's good. Could have been better, but…"

Something about _that _voice seemed familiar. With a jolt, the memories came back crashing down. Every single emotion that was repressed at the time suddenly burst forth, the most prevalent of them fear. In those moments…she thought she was going to die.

As she got closer, she saw the owner of the voice and the tall figure beside him. Chelsea almost keeled over in happiness.

"Vaughn!" She weakly cried out. His eyes met hers, and the axe fell from his limp hands. Pure relief filled her being as he approached her. She was crying before she realized it. The tears just wouldn't stop.

He crushed her into a hug, murmuring reassurances, neither of them realizing that they were both shaking.

* * *

They were back at the house Chelsea woke up in, which she discovered was actually Felicia's house. The woman in question was serving tea right now as everyone gathered at the creaky dinner table. Everyone was silently staring at Chelsea.

"Um…" The brunette stared at her lap, fingering a loose thread from the frilly design. "What…happened, exactly?"

Felicia pursed her lips as she sat down. "I'm not sure where to start, dear. It's a rather somber issue."

"Ah…" She didn't know how to answer that. They were all victims of a calamity, so there was nothing to be sorry for. What puzzled her most was how they got here. Felicia explained everything in an almost clinical matter.

"After you joined us on the lifeboat, we got washed away on this island sometime in the morning. We took some shelter from the rain here. Everyone was fine, but you fainted some several hours before. Aside from a high fever, you also suffered a swelling on your head."

Chelsea nodded. _That _was something to be sorry for. "I'm sorry for being a burden. I suffered from…a trauma of sorts when I was a kid. I don't like storms."

"Nonsense. You can't help the past. How is your head?"

"I'm surprised it's not hurting so bad."

"It's all thanks to the medicinal herbs we found on the island." Elliot helpfully inputted.

"I see. How long have I been sick?"

Natalie answered that. "Oh, just a whole day."

"Really?"

"Yes. Everyone's had a case of the sniffles, but you took the worst. Your fever broke just last night. More tea, dear?" Felicia offered.

"No thank you. Is there anything else I need to know?"

Vaughn shifted beside her. "Chels, I called Mineral Town. It turns out that they found the last owner's will and the guy who was supposed to inherit the farm."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "So, you mean…"

"It's not on sale anymore."

"Oh." She visibly sagged at that one.

"Good news is that we can take up the ranch right here. It needs a lot of fixing, but it's ours."

She jumped up in her excitement. "Really? It is? That's great! Oh, sorry." She managed to knock her chair back, causing Natalie to snicker loudly and gathering a few polite chuckles from everyone else. Vaughn flashed her one of his rare smiles, and she flushed in embarrassment.

Old Taro tapped his cane on the floor. "I remember the last time I came to this island—"

"Brace yourselves," Natalie muttered.

"—It was some thirty-odd years ago. The ranch here was thriving and the greenery was (he whistled through his tooth on this part) juthhhht beautiful." Vaughn gave a snort. Everyone shot him looks, and he cleared his throat. Old Taro either ignored it or was partially deaf. "The community was bustling and the tourists kept on coming in. The island was practically self-sufficient.

"Then! The rancher of the island passed away in a freak accident in the mines. Someone else bought the ranch afterwards, but there was a series of typhoons that went through two whole seasons. People paid with their lives for nature's wrath. By winter, everyone had gone. This island has become barren since then."

Everything was silent for a while. It was as if each were paying their respects to the dead in their minds. Chelsea found herself imagining everything covered in vicious snow, sinking into that cold white powder…

Old Taro used his cane to help him up. "But that's just the past. Can't do anything to change it, so just look forward to the future. Take the word of an old man." He gently rapped the end of his cane on the side of Chelsea's leg. It's nice seeing you up and about missy, but you still need to rest up. Me and laddie boy still need to finish chopping the wood. You come too, grandsonny. Don't dawdle."

"Coming!" Elliot got up and followed his grandfather out the door, while Vaughn lingered at the doorway, before following them as well. Chelsea wasn't sure what the look in his eye was, but it was…unusual.

A hand clamped itself on her shoulder, and Chelsea looked up to see Natalie looking down at her. "Wow, never thought I'd see you looking alive!"

"Really? It honestly felt like we were all going to die."

"But we're not!" Natalie enthused. "Isn't it cool? You could write a book about it. Survivor stories, eh?"

Chelsea's stomach chose that moment to protest its emptiness. Felicia exclaimed, "Oh my! You haven't eaten breakfast yet, have you? Poor dear, you're so thin." She was served a hearty meal of fish and some vegetables to the side. "Father can fish very well. And there are many wild vegetables that can be found around," the motherly figure explained, sending a touch of emotion through Chelsea's heart. "Oh my. Are you alright, Chelsea?"

The brunette sniffled, but nodded, slightly embarrassed. "Yeah. I just feel a little overwhelmed. I've never met my mom, and my dad's kind of an absent parent. I'm sorry, it's stupid to cry like a baby."

"Yeah, it is," Natalie agreed. Her mother was about to scold her when she continued, "So stop it and pick yourself up."

"Glad to know you have my back, Nat." Chelsea sniffed and managed a weak glare.

"Well, now," Felicia gently interrupted. "Since you're already awake, where would you like your bed to be?"

"My bed?"

"Yes, of course. We'd love to have you stay with us."

What? "I'm staying with Vaughn at the ranch, aren't I?" If memory served her correctly, there was a little house right there.

Felicia's wrinkled her nose. "This may seem old fashioned to you, dear, but I don't approve of a young man and a young woman living together."

Either the fever had obviously made Chelsea's brain slow, or she was just dense. "Huh?"

Natalie snickered. "What mom's saying is that unless you two are married, which you look too young to be, she's keeping you here. You know,_just_ in case. Unless, of course, you're already pregnant."

Chelsea's eyes were rolling on the floor, so to speak. She turned so red pink smoke practically steamed out of her ears. "That's not the case at all!" Her voice was choked with humiliation, and if there was a Goddess, she prayed the ground would swallow her up.

Felicia looked relieved. "Oh, thank goodness. At least we won't have to worry about an extra person."

"NO! Vaughn is my…Vaughn is my **stepbrother**!"

* * *

_Poor Chelsea…what a humiliating way to explain a situation. Nat's in-character, hopefully. Felicia might have sounded nosy, but she's well-meaning. You have to remember she was raised with Taro's strict upbringing. And that she has the mother hen syndrome._

_Preview for next chapter: "You actually got me a birthday gift? …Whoa, it's a Stetson!"_


	4. Four

_Where the heck is this story coming from? 2 am and I'm still awake writing this fic. Wow. Talk about a Christmas miracle. __I wouldn't go so far as to say this was S-rank quality. B-rank, at least :P_

_Warnings: Vaughn being a potty-mouth.

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**Golden Ranch**

**Chapter Four

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**

Sunsets were sad, in a way. Chelsea thought it was quite appropriate right now. People lost lives when the ship sank. They were lucky they got out alive. Most of what they only lost were clothes and other useful gadgets, but some of the things had sentimental values. The few possessions left to them were the clothes on their backs, and whatever was saved in Chelsea's rucksack.

Vaughn worked hard all day today, learning under Old Taro's strict guidance about the multi-colored ways of chopping wood and smashing stones. Chelsea rested up until the late afternoon, then went up to the ranch out of sheer boredom. Somehow they found themselves walking to the beach. Actually, Chelsea was more of skipping and her stepbrother was dragging his sorry carcass. They sat on the sand in contemplative silence, and she mused at how the atmosphere was just like when they were at the ship, but just a little different.

"I miss my guitar." Vaughn suddenly mumbled, and Chelsea turned her head to face him. He sat on the sand with one leg outstretched, a sore arm casually slung over a bent knee. His face was impassive, as usual, but his eyes were all the more expressive. The two years she had known him were enough time to know his mannerisms and quirks. The most useful out of them was gauging his mood simply from looking at his eyes.

Right now, his eyes were colored too dull for her tastes. It wasn't the nice violet she was accustomed to.

She couldn't fault him for being down after what happened, but he was just being too damned mopey. Where was the Vaughn that punched Jed Riley in the face because no one else would? Where was the Vaughn that the girls swooned over as he swaggered to class in his black leather jacket? Where was the Vaughn that pricked himself in Biology for blood typing without so much as a wince? In fact, he even looked fascinated with the blood dripping down his finger…

_Ew, Chelsea, don't go there, you know you're hemophobic._

But that was beside the point. Where was the cool badarse bishie she came to know and love? And—

"Hey! What are you laughing about?"

Vaughn didn't stop, in fact, he snickered some more. "Nothing."

"No, really. What?"

He shook his head, and wouldn't give it up until Chelsea continued to whine. "You were making weird faces when you were thinking. Something on your mind?"

"Ah…not really." She cleared her throat, rather put-off. _I make faces while I'm thinking?_ "Just thinking how ugly you looked all mopey and stuff." He was about to retort when she stood up and padded towards the water, letting the waves lick her toes. "I mean, so what if you lost your guitar? It's replaceable. You can always buy another one."

Her dress billowed in the wind, and she kind of liked the feeling. The last time she ever wore a dress was in the wedding, but that was pure torture, drowning in chiffon and ribbons. This dress was white and simply cut, a far cry from the frilly nightgown she found herself wearing before. They were fortunate enough that the previous owners had decided to leave some clothes in the house. Vaughn knew better than to make wisecrack about her choice of clothes, not when he was still wearing the same jeans from when they left the ship. The plaid shirt he was wearing now was a little too big for his frame. It obviously wasn't his.

"You don't get it, do you?" He ran his fingers through his messy silver hair. "I've had that guitar since I was eight. It's like you and that stuffed duck you always sleep with."

She made an indignant sound. "I do not! And FYI, Ducky got left in the suitcase when the ship sank. So don't think I don't understand how it feels." He just sighed and rolled his eyes, exhausted. They lapsed into silence again as the remnants of the sunset bled away. Chelsea walked back to where Vaughn lay and picked up her boots. "Come on. It's getting dark." She softly said, offering her hand. He took it, but unexpectedly jerked her down. She landed with an 'oof' on the sand.

"Hey! What was that for?"

He ignored that and pointed towards the now-dark sky. "Look." Chelsea looked up and gasped. A million white lights dotted the sky, all twinkling like multifaceted gems.

"Wow. I can actually see the stars." She breathed, marveling. "Hey…Vaughn? I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but can we really take this up?" Old Taro had explained how the ranch had been the heart of the island's economy. Chelsea felt like it was too big of a job for the likes of her.

"'Course." He said with full conviction, and she rolled her eyes, smiling.

Vaughn didn't like it when it was mentioned, but she couldn't help it. "Happy Birthday, by the way." She bumped his arm with her shoulder as they walked back, satisfied that his eyes were the nice kind of violet she liked.

* * *

The next morning, someone started to knock insistently on the door making a hapless rancher groan. Vaughn rolled in his futon and sluggishly got up, arms burning and muscles sore. "What?" He glared.

"Yo." Natalie raised a hand in greeting, eyes straying over his shirtless frame. He didn't seem to notice. "Gramps said to come down to the beach ASAP. He's got a few people he wants you to meet. Is Chelsea there?"

"Still asleep."

"Yeah? I guess you guys are true-blue city slickers."

"Six am is ungodly for us." Vaughn combed his hair with his fingers. Her mouth ran dry. "I'll wake her up. Be there in a few." He left the door open and moved towards the sink in the corner of the room. It should strike him as weird since their beds were in the same room, but apartments in the city had the same floor planning too, so it wasn't so bad.

"Was that Natalie just now?" Chelsea rubbed her eyes, hair sticking up all over the place. Vaughn grunted and explained the situation, and Chelsea got up to go to the bathroom. She was out in a minute's time. He was ready much earlier—just grabbed a pair of pants and yanked them on, then put on a random shirt. They walked together to the beach, still yawning and stretching. Old Taro berated them for taking so long, then promptly introduced them to a man and his son.

"Hello, my name is Chen." The man said. He was only in his thirties, but his haggard appearance made him look much older. "This is my son, Charlie. We've been looking for a place to set up shop. Ah, is this the madam that called? Pleased to meet you." He sent Felicia a warm smile.

The woman positively tittered. "The pleasure is mine." Elliot looked between the two of them and made a face. Natalie saw that and rolled her eyes. Chen went on to talk about the wares he sold when his son tugged on his shirt.

"Dad! You haven't told them what I do yet!" Charlie complained. Chen laughed and apologized. The boy puffed out his cheek and turned to the ranchers. "I can make accessories if you get me some orichalc. You know, necklaces and stuffs. If you wanna get prettied up, I'm the one to call. I'm a master of my craft." He puffed his chest out proudly.

"Is that so?" Chelsea bent down and beamed. "You're cute, little guy."

"You're not bad yourself, lady. Hey, you wanna be my girlfriend?"

"Uh…I think I'm a little too old for you."

Charlie gave an exaggerated sigh. "That's what they all say."

"—so days off will be on Fridays. That's when I'll be restocking. Speaking of which, where shall we be staying?" Chen clapped his hands together and smiled.

"Right this way." Old Taro tapped his cane and led them into the town. They stopped in front of the nearest house to the left. It looked rather sad, to be honest.

"Ah, this looks adequate. Come on, Charlie, help me set up shop."

"But dad…"

* * *

Later that morning, Chelsea suggested they plant the turnip seeds they bought from Chen. Old Taro had given them pointers the day before. Vaughn acquiesced and got the hoe and watering can from the toolbox. But when they got there, Vaughn found some trouble with his limbs.

"Shit. I can't lift my arms." He massaged his sore shoulders, obviously the result of yesterday's exertions.

"Let me try." Chelsea picked up the hoe. "Wow, that's heavy."

"Idiot. Don't tire yourself. You're still recovering from the fever." He scolded.

"Uh…if you want, I can help." Elliot approached them, looking shy and unsure.

Chelsea shrugged. "Why not?"

They let him, and it turned out that the thirteen year old was in better shape than either of them. The stepsiblings felt slightly embarrassed and a little more than put off. At the end, they managed to fill around eighteen plots of seeds.

"Thanks, Elliot! We couldn't have done it without you!" Chelsea nudged Vaughn, and he cleared his throat.

"Good work." He nodded. Elliot glowed under the praise. Living with a grandfather who was always preaching and a big sister who criticized everything he did left him with little self-esteem. It was nice to have someone aside from his mom appreciate him.

* * *

"Oh, Chelsea dear, are you coming?" Felicia voice sweetly rang out. The farmer in question beamed as she skipped towards the woman, her red backpack fastened securely. After that embarrassing fiasco yesterday, Felicia had apologized profusely, making out her way to be extra nice to Chelsea. Natalie wasn't very apologetic, though.

"Definitely. How could I miss shopping?"

Natalie slung her arm around Chelsea's shoulders, subtly rubbing in the fact that she was tall. "It's gonna be a girl's day out, eh, Chels?"

"Could you not do that?" The brunette snapped, eyeing Natalie from her shoes to the top of her head. "How old are you anyway?"

"Seventeen." The girl preened. "And five feet seven inches. You?"

Chelsea ground her teeth together. "Eighteen. Five feet three and a HALF."

"Oh, so short…"

"Children," Felicia firmly intoned, "stop this petty argument."

"I don't even know why Chelsea's feeling so touchy, mom. She hangs out with Vaughn and he's at least six feet tall."

"Six feet one, to be exact." A new voice helpfully added in.

Chelsea whipped around and whined. "Whose side are you on, anyway?"

Vaughn smirked. "The tall people, of course. How's the weather down there?"

"Ha. Ha. Ladies and gentlemen, what a comedian." She rolled her eyes. "Okay, what do you want?"

"Why, can't I see my favorite person in the world?"

Chelsea raised an eyebrow and shifted her stance. "Let me see…You want me to go shopping for you as well?"

"Basically."

"Ask nicely."

"I've got six thousand worth of birthday cash I'm letting you spend."

"…Good enough for me."

"Necessities only, Chelsea." He warned.

She saluted, laughing. "Yeah, yeah."

* * *

Chelsea didn't think she'd have a fun time shopping with Natalie. The pink-haired girl didn't seem like the very funny type, but people surprise you. Natalie said she only shopped when necessary, but she had a lot of fun haggling and bullying the vendors into lowering their prices. Chelsea witnessed her friend's business potential firsthand. She even got a little intimidated.

In the end, Chelsea managed to buy several practical clothes for her and Vaughn, and it only cost around half of the allotted expenses. Felicia bought clothes for her family as well, and Natalie bore it all as her mother held shirts up to see if they fit her. What a trooper.

"Look, Natalie! Overalls!" Chelsea squealed.

"Whoa. Imagine my brother in them. Oh wait, he's already wearing suspenders. How 'bout Vaughn instead?"

The girls put their heads together and did just that, laughing 'til tears came out. That picture was just wrong. "I have to have one of those," Chelsea enthused. "They're so dorky they're actually cute."

As they continued their walk, they found a stall that sold only unmentionables. Felicia picked up a pair of boxers that had cows in it. "Isn't this cute, Natalie? Do you think Elliot would like it?"

"Oh yeah. And while we're at it, let's get him a pacifier too." Natalie smirked. Chelsea smiled and held up a dark blue pair with yellow ducklings on them. _Ducky!_ She laughed to herself, and her friend just had to ask.

"Nothing. Inside joke. I'm so getting this for Vaughn." She blushed while she looked for other prints, not noticing that Natalie had turned pink as well.

They finished shopping around noon, and they sat down at a café to rest their tired feet. Felicia insisted on paying for lunch, and Chelsea didn't have the strength to resist. They had a hearty meal and talked about random things. The conversation consisted mostly of Chelsea saying something, Natalie disagreeing, and then both of them would have a playful debate about who was right and the argument would get so silly they'd forget what they were arguing about.

"Oh, hold on. I'll just get a refill." Chelsea took her glass to the counter, but bumped into a blond girl on the way back. "Sorry." Luckily, nothing was spilled, so it was all good.

"It's alright." The girl smiled and the rancher suddenly found herself wondering where she saw that before. Before she could ask, though, the girl had left the café.

They gathered their bags and made one last stop to a grocery/convenience store to buy food and hygienic necessities. After that, Chelsea and Natalie had to play the waiting game as Felicia went to search for consumers who would buy the island's goods. Then Chelsea spotted a particular store…and suddenly remembered that she hadn't gotten Vaughn anything for his birthday yet. Oh, he'd just love _this_ one.

They finally got back by four, but it seemed like an eternity.

* * *

Vaughn was bent down on the ground and weeding, when a truck suddenly hit him from behind. Oh, wait, that was just Chelsea.

"I trust you had fun shopping?" He turned around and raised an eyebrow. She nodded, raising her bags of purchases. "Nice."

"Oh, hey, there's something I got you for your birthday."

He looked surprised. "You actually got me a birthday gift?"

"'Course." She mimicked him, then laughed. "Don't worry, I used my own money."

"So what is it?"

"Close your eyes and bend down." He sent her a questioning look and she rolled her eyes. "Just do as I say." He complied, but got yanked down by the collar. "Darn it, you're so tall." She giggled, and he felt her breath against his skin. Anticipation crawled up his spine as he waited with bated breath. There was the crackle of plastic bags and some shuffling, and he screwed his eyes shut to resist opening them.

"Chelsea—" His breath caught as he felt warm fingers on his mouth.

"Shut up, V. I know you've wanted this since forever. So here it is."

The waiting was going to kill him. His lips already felt tingly. And then…something heavy rested on his head.

Vaughn's violet eyes snapped open. What the—

"It's your very own cowboy hat!" She clapped with glee. "Just like Garret Rhodes!"

He felt the top of his head, then lifted the hat off, inspecting it. It was black, just like his childhood hero's, and there was a brown band around it. He flipped it over, liking the felt texture, and checked the tag.

"Whoa, it's a Stetson!" His eyes widened, ears suddenly turning red. He put the hat back on, lowering the brim so she wouldn't see him blush. "Um…thanks." He ducked again when she laughed at him. He tried to edge from the topic. "By the way, welcome home."

She stopped laughing and her eyes softened. A nice breeze ruffled her hair. "It's good to be back."

* * *

_Stetsons are pretty expensive since they're really high quality. Looked it up in Wikipedia xD Oh, and I like it when the Japanese say 'Tadaima' and 'Okaeri'. It means 'I'm home' and 'Welcome home' respectively. They're pretty interchangeable. Did I deliver or did I stink?_


	5. Five

_Just as _arisu rin_ had put it, it's been an 'eternity. In the form of four long months'. :( I'm very, very sorry. I suppose I've been…procrastinating. Beware Vaughn's potty mouth!_

_Without further ado, I give you…_

* * *

**Golden Ranch**

**Chapter Five**

* * *

Chelsea dumbly glanced at the corner of the kitchen. Her father's voice thundered through the whole house, while her stepmother's wailing made her ears bleed. Life at her old house had never been this noisy. Never been this chaotic.

"Dammit," her stepbrother mumbled beside her. She turned her head to face him, and he stared back intensely. A chill swept through her, and she knew then that she never wanted to be the object of his wrath. Vaughn cocked his head to the direction of the door. She nodded, grabbing her coat and following him out.

"It's getting worse." She mumbled when they got into his car. Vaughn turned the engine on and didn't answer. Chelsea sighed and fiddled with the radio controls, finally settling on a soothing jazz number.

The roads were practically deserted. What else would one expect on Starry Night? Last year was their first as a new family, and the family reunion had gone without a hitch. What was so different this year? Chelsea knew it was useless to ask such questions. Kate and her dad simply didn't see eye to eye nowadays.

Vaughn parked near a porridge shop they frequented after school on Friday afternoons. Unbelievably, it was still open despite a holiday. The owner was a lonely man who didn't know how to fill his time. Vaughn tipped his head back on the headrest, rubbing the heel of his palm on his forehead.

"You know what's funny?" He asked, voice quivering with barely controlled rage.

Chelsea felt her mouth dry, and she kept her silence, uncertain.

He continued, "After all these years I thought that I could be normal for once. Just a normal guy from a normal family. I had a mom and a dad. I didn't live in a dingy two-room apartment that smelled like cigarettes every time my mom's boyfriends came over. I didn't have to worry if we had enough money to pay for rent, or if food would last a month. I didn't have to work to survive anymore."

"Oh, Vaughn…" Chelsea didn't know what to say. Kate had never been described as such a negligent parent. Then again, Vaughn never liked to disclose himself or his past very much.

"And you know what? I actually liked it here. I had my own room. Classmates actually thought I was _cool_. I didn't have to worry about money. I had you." He slammed his fist on the wheel. "But every time I decide I like it someplace, she wants to change it, goddamn. It's happened before. Remember that boyfriend of hers I told you about? The one we lived with when I was nine and taught me guitar?"

"Yeah?"

"We lived pretty decently, until she decided it was too boring for her. So we left. Frickin' bitch."

Chelsea gasped. "Vaughn—she's your mother!"

He surprised her by laughing. It wasn't the kind that warmed her heart. It was cold and void of any humor. "I was born because she couldn't keep the booze away and her panties on. I'm a huge ass mistake. She even said so." He stared straight ahead, and the slump on his shoulders told her the fight was bleeding out of him. Chelsea cautiously put her hand on his arm, and then carefully wrapped her arms around him, bringing him down to a hug.

As much as she wanted to go back to the house and vent her anger on her father and stepmother, she knew that Vaughn needed her reassurance more than anything else.

At least Chelsea had a decent mother-figure in her life. And her dad, as absent as he was, still provided some sort of stability. Vaughn didn't have anyone like that.

"Shh…it's okay…" She cooed soothingly, although a tremor in her voice betrayed her. "Let it all out."

Vaughn rested his forehead on her shoulder and closed his eyes to block the world out. "Everything's so fucking retarded," He shook like a leaf in a heavy gale. She rocked him like a child until the worst of the breakdown passed.

* * *

The snow floated down to the already white ground outside the window. Chelsea leaned her head on her best friend's shoulder, arms still wound around him.

"Better now?"

He let out a breath that was more of a sigh. "Yeah." He rested his chin on her mocha head of hair, trying to convey his gratitude.

She hummed. "Some Starry Night this turned out to be."

"…Yeah. It's the epitome of awesome."

Chelsea smiled. If Vaughn was cracking the sarcasm, then that meant he was stable enough for a normal conversation. "And it's gonna get even awesomer with a big bowl of porridge. Come on. I don't know about you, but I'm freezing my toes off!"

He smiled wearily, just a little bit, and unlocked the doors. "Fine. We wouldn't want them to fall off now, would we?"

"That's the spirit, Vaughn!" She swung her first in a way that reminded him of those overly-perky scout leaders. "And Happy—ohcrap!"

"Chelsea!" He jogged over to her car side. "You okay?"

She laughed and rubbed her wet hand on her jacket. "Yeah. Slipped on the ice. Again."

"Ugh, you klutz." He grunted as he heaved her onto her feet. She beamed up at him.

"See, this is why you were meant to be here. Without you, I wouldn't have anyone to pick me up when I fall/slip/generally get clumsy. You're my knight in shining armor!"

"…"

"Aww…are you blushing?"

"'Course not. It's just the cold."

"Don't be so unromantic! It's a Happy, Happy Starry Night after all!"

"Is it?" He commented dryly.

"Sure it is! I got my bestest friend in the whole wide world to myself and a bowl of hot soup waiting for me." She hooked their arms together and snuggled close. Her tone softened, "And Vaughn, I want you to know that I got your back, okay? No matter what."

He managed a small smile, and his eyes melted into a tender shade of purple. "Okay."

* * *

"I can't believe it's Mr. Harley all over again."

The statement drew a twitch in Vaughn's eye. Chelsea collapsed to the ground and inspected the poorly grown turnips, running her hands through the leafage, sifting the soil through her hands.

"Vaughn, you murderer!" She finally bawled, dramatically flinging her arms out to her mistreated crops as if to protect them from him. He immediately went on the defensive.

"How was I supposed to know you didn't need to water them every day?"

"It's called common sense, you dud."

"And it's totally my fault the sky likes to rain?"

"Yes. You're so mean all the time you make the sky cry."

He huffed. "That didn't make any sense."

"I know you are but what am I?"

"What? Look, just…get up and stop being dramatic It's not helping."

The brunette farmer sniffed, reluctantly picking herself up and dusting the dirt from her jean shorts. "Still. It's still money wasted. And it's not like we even had that much to put by."

Vaughn sighed and leaned against his hoe, ruffling his hair in frustration. "We've still got our fishing rods. At the last resort, we could always forage for grass."

Chelsea made a face at the thought of grubbing in the mud, looking for oddly colored grass. She glanced up at the dim sky and just knew that today wasn't gonna be a lucky day. "Yay."

Sunny Island was experiencing a cloudy day with forty percent chance of rain. Oh the irony.

* * *

The hours blurred into days melding into weeks. Spring had already packed a suitcase and was heading out the door. Only a few days left and impatient Summer could burst into the scene, blinding all with her flashing glare.

Vaughn and Chelsea found much better luck after that first batch of crops. The turnips were decent and shippable, but didn't bring in much money. Thankfully, the potatoes were hardier than the turnips, and they sold for a little more too. By the last week of the season, the two managed to raise and ship over a hundred spring crops. For all their hard work, Chen made sure to announce that cucumber seeds were now available for planting.

"Yes! Cucumber seeds unlocked!" Chelsea punched a triumphant fist in the air as her silver-haired companion pocketed the change.

"What was that?" Vaughn adjusted his Stetson as she put the seeds in her rucksack.

"Thank you and please come again!" Chen bade as they made their way out the door.

"Thanks, Chen!" The brunette hollered, then turned back to her best friend. "Oh, you know. Don't you ever think that our reality is just some kind of alternative reality that doesn't exist, hence why it's an _alternative_ reality?"

Vaughn wrinkled his brow, blinked and nodded slowly, deciding to humor her. "Okay…?"

"And what if the world as we knew it was just something based on a book—or a video game! Think of it! Somewhere out there, there could be higher beings that are controlling our every move. I mean it totally makes sense! I for one don't believe that coincidences are just coincidences. What if the present was already pre-destined? And think of it—what I might be spewing out of my mouth could be totally just typed in by somebody who was on crack." Chelsea pointed to the sky, "What if the big guys up there have this gigantic supercomputer that makes things permanent and tangible at the click of a button? I mean I don't even **get** what I'm saying! And what if I'm being controlled by aliens right now?"

"Chelsea, stop. You're giving me a migraine."

"Oh. Sorry."

"But…you could be onto something." Vaughn put a hand over his heart. "I believed every single word."

"Really?"

"No."

"Meanie." She punched him in the arm. At precisely that moment, the heavens opened up and drenched the earth in big fat drops of wet. Chelsea stared at Vaughn, using all of her strength to keep her suddenly drenched face straight.

He stared back blandly, water dripping off the brim of his hat. "…"

"…"

"…Ugh."

"I told you you make the sky cry."

* * *

Felicia had graciously invited them, Chen and Charlie over for dinner the following day, serving a special stew that contained the surplus of the crops that the farmers had saved for themselves. With luck, the majority of the crops had an A-rank with only a few stray B's here and there. As the ranch flourished, so did Taro's shipping business. Which meant more money to buy things at Chen's shop. It was a win-win situation for everybody.

"Hats off, Vaughn dear." The pink-haired matriarch gently chided as the ranchers plus Natalie sat at the table. Chen and Taro were consumed in a game of shogi in the other room, and Charlie had decided to watch out of nothing better to do. Elliot, meanwhile, was helping his mother cook. "It's only polite."

"Oh—uh, sorry, Felicia." The teen fumbled, setting his hat down on his lap. Across the table, Natalie was looking at him with an interested gaze. "What?"

"Nothing." She nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders. "Just haven't seen your hair in a while is all."

"And isn't it a shame," Chelsea piped in, giggling like a school girl. "He's got such pretty hair."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"I don't."

Chelsea whipped her head and asked her friend for help. "Nat, isn't Vaughn's hair dead sexy?"

Blinking, Natalie's mouth went on automatic. "Yeah?" The pink-haired teen flushed furiously then, but Chelsea didn't notice as she whipped her head back to Vaughn.

"See? I told you so."

Vaughn scowled and resisted the urge to slam his Stetson back on his head. His face felt warm—a mixture of embarrassment and flattery. Chelsea never really knew when or how to shut up. She was just so _annoying_ sometimes.

"You're annoying."

"You're blushing. Aw, you widdle cutie!" She retorted and pinched his cheek, sticking her tongue out.

Fortunately, the pair were interrupted by Elliot and Felicia coming into the scene with the food in their hands. "Natalie, can you tell your grandfather dinner is ready?"

"Mmkay…"

"By the way," Felicia turned to face the two stepsiblings. "The carpenter will be coming in the day after tomorrow, so be sure to see what parts of your house needs fixing."

"We'll be sure to remember." Chelsea nodded. Old Taro, Chen and Charlie made their appearance then, and so a peaceful dinner commenced.

* * *

By the time nine pm hit, everyone decided it was time to go home. Natalie rolled her eyes as her mom subconsciously (or not) flirted with the bearded shopkeeper. Charlie rolled his eyes as his dad flirted back.

"Bye, little guy. See you tomorrow." Chelsea patted the eight-year old on the head.

"Hey, lady, my offer still stands."

"About what?"

"Being my girlfriend, o' course!"

Chelsea laughed nervously. "No can do. I'm a busy working woman."

"That's what they all say." He sighed and followed his dad home, right across the street.

"Now just wait a tootin' ss—h—econd, chicklings," Old Taro tapped his cane self-importantly on the ground, his missing front tooth making him whistle some of the letter, "You forgot to as—h—k me what the weather is tomorrow."

The stepsiblings glanced at each other before Chelsea spoke up. "Sorry, sir. What's the weather?"

"See the sky?" He pointed upwards with his cane, "You can clearly see the stars. It'll be a s—h—unny day tomorrow. That, and my left nostril is tingling."

* * *

Before long, the ranchers bid their goodnights to Taro's family and walked home in the darkness with nothing but the stars to guide their way.

"I really like it here." Vaughn stated out of the blue. "The work is back-breaking, and our mentor is old, crabby and smells like beans—"

At this point, Chelsea cracked up laughing.

He continued, a smile lifted the corner of his lips, "—not to mention proper hygiene's a thing of the past since we're always rolling around in the dirt. But I like how it's so peaceful here. It's like another lifetime."

"Who are you and what have you done with my Vaughn? He's a cold fish with the personality of a rock, never mind randomly spouts speeches." Chelsea stopped in her tracks. "That didn't sound right. Maybe I should rephrase that. Ahem. Who are you and what have you done with my—"

"Get real, Chels. Aliens don't exist." Vaughn swiped her bandanna off her head. She gasped dramatically.

"Oh no you didn't!"

He stuck his tongue out, dangling the sorry piece of cloth out of her reach.

"Vendetta!"

Let's just say the scene escalated into one where Chelsea ended up on top of her best friend piggy-back style, reaching out for her bandanna while Vaughn miraculously kept his balance _and_ the cloth. After around a few minutes of twisting around, slapping his arms and generally cursing his name, the brunette decided that she just didn't care anymore, and promptly tightened her arms and legs around his person.

The silver-haired teen paused at the change of tactics. "Okay, what gives?"

"Nothing. Just…tired." As if on cue, a yawn escaped from her mouth. "You can carry me home, by the way."

"_I _can carry _you_ home?"

"Yep. And call me 'Your Highness' while you're at it."

Vaughn looked over his shoulder and felt a retort curling from the tip of his tongue, but stopped when he found that Chelsea was succumbing to sleep. He gave a sigh and looped his arms behind him so he could support her, finding her warm weight on his back oddly comforting.

"Home, eh?" And carry her home he did.

* * *

"Hey..."

"Yeah?" She sipped at her own bowl porridge, following his gaze at the window. Snow continued to fall, but the inside of the Porridge Shop was warm and comforting. They were regular costumers, and the owner knew them and trusted them enough to let them show themselves out. He was getting old, he told them. He was retiring soon and moving in with his nephew.

"Here are your orders. They're on the house."

"Really? Wow, thank you, Lance. Happy Starry Night."

Vaughn nodded, "Happy Starry Night."

The old-timer greeted them in turn, before shuffling off into his rooms.

Back to the present, Vaughn leaned his chin on to his hand, eyes distant. "I was thinking...of leaving here."

Chelsea almost choked. "What? When?"

"I'm not saying now. Just...soon."

"But...where will you go? What will you do?"

"I dunno. I just know that I'm going. Don't try to stop me."

The brunette stared morosely at her food, her heart aching at the thought of being alone again. "Well...will you take me with you? Don't leave me here. Dad's never around, and I won't be able to stand Kate."

He smiled that world weary smile. Chelsea thought there was something profoundly melancholic about that. "Whatever you want, Chelsea. I got your back," he said, echoing her words. She buried her face in the lapels of his coat, wondering if this was just a progression of her crumbling world.

Outside, the snow continued to blanket the world in white.

* * *

_Ahaha! Chapter 5 is finished! Victory! Whatcha fink about that? I absolutely have no idea what I am doing here. Just to let y'all know. I gots no plot whatsoever. So anything goes :D_

_Because I love you all so much (and I am deeply regretful for the really long wait) you guys will get a bonus chapter! Starring Mr. Harley! I shall promise much laughs and more fluff._

_Feedback is cherished. Suggestions even more. Even one single hit is love. Did I deliver or did I stink? Goodbye everybody, my brain has left the building!_


	6. Intermission

_Just a little something I came up with :) The whole thing's a flashback. I hope you guys don't mind._

_The first part is mainly Chelsea's POV when the family moves in to the new house. The second is Vaughn's recollection of the night Chelsea's dad proposed, the wedding and reception._

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**Intermission**

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"I'm taking this room." Sixteen-year old Vaughn opened the door wider and stepped inside, prompting Chelsea to peek in. This room was no bigger than the two others, but the large windows faced east, so it was warmly lit. He placed his guitar on the sheetless bed and sat down, looking a little lost. He stared at the dust smotes swirling in the air, down to the hardwood floor, to the whitewashed walls. Wow, was all he could think of at the moment.

"Um…" Chelsea found herself inching towards the room, but told her feet to stay put. But, aw man! She'd wanted _this_ room! Why couldn't she have been a little faster?

"What you need?" She suddenly found herself eye-to-eye with her new…stepbrother. _Tall_ stepbrother. Ugh.

"Nothing…in particular."

"Okay. Can you get out then?"

Affronted, she could do nothing more than step back before he shut the door in her face. Chelsea stared in front of her for a few long moments before deciding that, yes, Vaughn was a jerk, and yes, he hated her guts. She glanced at the potted plant in her hands, and murmured reassurances as she walked to the room next door. "Don't worry, Mr. Harley. I'll make sure Vaughn doesn't bully you too."

Meanwhile, Vaughn lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, tasting a little bit of freedom in the privacy of his own room.

* * *

They'd gone down a few hours later when the moving trucks came in. The movers were busy with all the big things like the fridge and the piano under Kate's direction, so the two teens were left on their own devices. Vaughn was on his way to putting the second box of his possessions in his room when heard Chelsea's voice drifting in from her claimed room.

"…and I'm not happy with the moving at all because I didn't even get the room I wanted. And my new brother hates my guts. Hey, Mr. Harley, do you think I'm really annoying? I know I talk too much, but there's no one else to talk to. I've lost my friends and I haven't gone on the internet in what? A whole week? And hello, why do I have to go to a new school at all? So what if it's closer to this house?"

Who the heck was Chelsea talking to? As far as Vaughn knew, his new stepsister was kind of shy. She smiled a lot, yeah, and she hadn't protested much against her dad's re-marriage. But he didn't know she was a little on the crazy side as well.

Wait—she thought he hated her? Where the hell did she get _that_ idea? He honestly didn't. He just didn't react well with new people, but he was trying! Vaughn didn't want to botch this new life. It was a clean slate offered, and he would gladly take it.

"…I mean, I'm just so sad and angry and frustrated. Argh! But dad wouldn't want to see it and I certainly don't want Kate to think badly of me either. Vaughn probably thinks I'm a weirdo already, so feh! Is there anything right I can do with my life? I can shut up and smile, but what else? And look at me, venting out to a stupid plant. Oh, no, I'm sorry, Mr. Harley, I didn't mean to insult you. I just mean that I'm so pathetic to only have you as a friend. It's…depressing…"

She sighed and slumped forward, fingering one of Mr. Harley's leafy appendages. Vaughn felt her depression wash over him like a tide. He understood the feeling of being plucked from the feeling of comfortable stability into rocky ground. Maybe just a little too well. He thought he understood her just a little more too.

Unfortunately, the moment passed when the dust made his nose itch, which made him sneeze. Both teens froze at the sound, and Chelsea's head turned stiffly, eyes widening as each second passed. She moved so fast she was a blur. She pushed him out of her doorway none too gently and slammed the door in his face.

Vaughn recovered from his shock and scowled at the door. He grunted and turned back to his own room, shutting the door loudly behind him.

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"Mr. Harley…" Chelsea moaned. "My life is bleak. My parents—wow, it feels weird to say it—are still in the honeymoon phase and my new stepbrother hates me. You're my only friend in the whole wide world."

Mr. Harley shook in the incoming breeze, and to the girl, it was a sign of affirmation.

"Love you too. Don't run away like Hamster Ball, okay?"

* * *

It had taken the whole of that week to finally have everything (most of it, anyway) sorted out. All that was left was to get the things out of the box and dust the place. Chelsea wasn't sure if she could paint the walls of her room, and even then, she would have to vacate it while it dried and live with the smell. So she decided that she didn't want to bother anyone and said nothing. Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't take any creative liberties with her room. That being said, the windows were given brand new curtains, a psychedelically colored rug was added to the floor, and her desk was topped with a table cloth to match the curtains. The walls were stuck with colorful posters and picture frames and about anything else you could put on a wall.

"Sparkling," She praised herself as she looked about her room. "What do you think, Mr. Harley? Isn't it great?"

Mr. Harley, of course, kept his silence.

"Thanks!"

There was a knock on her open door, and Vaughn leaned against the doorjamb. "Uh, hey. Do you have a pencil?"

"…Yeah…?"

"Can I borrow?"

"Um…sure." The brunette grabbed one off her desk and offered it to him. He took it slowly, feeling the tension in the room just as acutely as she did.

"…Later." He quickly exited the room.

Chelsea shot a glance at her green friend. "Well, that was an awkward turtle."

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Vaughn wasn't sure whether or not to bash his head on the wall. He meant to smooth things out to her, tell her that he didn't hate her; he was just rough like that. But no. He just couldn't help but be weirded out by her talking to a plant again. It was just…weird.

Not too long ago when his mom and her dad decided to have dinner at this fancy restaurant, he didn't think much of it. All he knew was that he had to dress up in a stuffy clothes. He hated the way he had to gel his hair back. He was used to the stares and the attention the odd color drew. But that night, their server was practically salivating, and she was old enough to be his mother!

It got worse when he realized that the guy his mom was dating had a daughter. And she was quite the looker. She was dressed in a dress that made her baby eyes pop out and complimented the color of her hair. Her smile was sweet when they were introduced. Vaughn thought that this was the kind of girl his friends would consider dating. And maybe, when this relationship blew over, he could ask her out for a movie or something. He was stupid enough not to realize that this was different. He didn't think his mom and her dad were actually serious about each other.

And after a long-winded speech about finding love after a long time, insert corny stuff here, blah blah blah, that was when reality dropped like a bomb.

Vaughn's face went ashen when his mom's boyfriend proposed.

_Oh my god, she's gonna be my stepsister._

Kaboom.

* * *

The wedding was more or less just as awkward as that night. There wasn't much to rehearsals because all he had to do was march down the aisle next to his stepdad-to-be's daughter, part ways, and then sit down and just wait until they made the next mistake and they had to start all over.

In the wedding, Vaughn was forced into a tux with a lilac shirt and a violet tie. It was the vibrant color of his mother's eyes. It was the color of his. Chelsea (yeah, he actually remembered her name this time) was dressed in similar colors, and the shade made her look soft and appealing.

Vaughn decided not to do anything to encourage this…inclination, and so refused to say anything that wasn't polite or out of bounds in a relationship with a stranger.

He just couldn't take it at the reception, though. That was the breaking point. There is not one single kid in the planet that likes to watch any of his parents make out. It was just…wrong. Totally. He caught Chelsea's eye and she made a similar 'gag me' face. They silently laughed about it. They cringed when the cake was cut and the newlyweds fed each other.

"I think I'm gonna hurl." He muttered to himself.

"I'm not far behind." Chelsea whispered conspiratorially. He allowed her a small grin, and they snickered together.

When it was time to dance, Vaughn waited until the long line of relatives thinned out until he could dance with his mother. He was forced to learn how to dance and he was glad of it—at least he wouldn't make a fool of himself in public.

"Hi, baby," His mom smiled at him. He gave his own in return and marveled at how her eyes sparkled. He was a good head taller than her, had been since he turned fourteen.

"Hi, mom."

"You and Chelsea are getting along fine, aren't you?"

"Yeah, we are."

She was even more giggly than usual. Maybe it was the champagne. "Chelsea's a darling, always so sweet and thoughtful. And her father's amazing. What do you think of him?"

Vaughn gave a half-hearted shrug. "He's okay. As long as you're happy…"

"Oh, yes. I'm very happy. I think we might be having a baby."

His breath hitched. If it was a faster dance he would have tripped on his own feet. "What?"

"Shh, love. It's too soon to tell. Don't say anything, okay?"

He looked at her smiling face, flushed and glowing. "…Okay. I won't tell."

"Oh look, it's your Uncle Rob! How nice of you to come by." Vaughn pulled back as the elderly man offered his mother a dance, just as Chelsea was released from a dance with her father. As if by mutual understanding, they walked over to each other and tentatively linked hands. She looked troubled as well. They danced with an adequate distance between them, not too far to look odd but not too close to be intimate either.

Chelsea broke the silence. "I guess it's hard on you too, huh? Too much change in too little time."

He took a moment before answering. "Isn't it always?"

"I'm not too keen on moving into a new house either."

"Mm…"

"Something on your mind?"

"I guess."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Oh."

The song ended, followed by another equally slow song. Vaughn started to withdraw when Chelsea gripped his hand tighter, making him pause. He gave her a confused look.

"Your cousin is giving me the creeps. I don't wanna dance with him again." Vaughn snuck a look at his older cousin just in time to catch the lewd wink he gave her. She shivered visibly and Vaughn narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Fine with me. I think he's a creep too."

They resumed their dance while Chelsea carried on the conversation. There was still a degree of tension between them but Vaughn blatantly ignored it like he did with anything that discomforted him.

"I haven't mentioned it before, but you look really handsome tonight, Vaughn." Chelsea smiled sincerely. Vaughn felt a flush steal his face. He never took to compliments very well.

"Thanks. You look…really good too."

_Really good? Way to go, Casanova. _He mentally smacked himself, but Chelsea looked pleased.

They danced until the song ended, and the only reason Vaughn managed to survive the rest of night was because his tongue liked the taste of bubbly champagne.

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_So…hello. Haha, are any of you disappointed it's not a real chapter? I just wanna explore their characters a little. I don't actually create what happens. I just write what I see in my head :D_

___Weddings are BORING. Been to six already. I know it's supposed to be romantic and all, but it's not fun witnessing your family members' gooey lovey-doveyness. And considering I live in a tropical country, we always melt during the mass. The only relief is the reception and the food (for me) but everything else is rather dull._

_There shall be a second part of this intermission in the future. And more fluff!_

EDIT: I didn't realize that there was a song called "Cowboy Casanova" by Carrie Underwood. The above was purely coincidence XD Serendipity much? Thanks to Random Jelly Beans for pointing that out! Lolz!


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